Car door operating device



Jan. 30, 1934. E. G. BUSSE CAR DOOR OPERATING DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet --1 Filed May 29, 1931 Ha h Z l 4 7 3 35 6 3 Mfi 4 ,4, J v Q4, 4 v /N/ T 9 28 Jan. 30, 1934. E. G. BUSSE CAR DOOR, OPERATING DEVICE Filed May 29, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Jan. 30, 1934 CAR DOOR OPERATING DEVICE Edwin G. Busse, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Chicago Railway Equipment Company, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois Application May 29, 1931. Serial No. 541,091

8 Claims.

The invention relates to means for opening and closing sliding doors and for locking the same in a closed position, and is particularly adapted for use in connection with railway box car doors.

Box car doors and their openings are usually provided with strips on the vertical edges thereof for arresting the passage of water, sparks, and dust, and with rails on the horizontal edges for carrying suitable rollers or other door support elements. These strips and support elements frequently become corroded to such an extent as to require the application of considerable force to effect the initial opening movement of the door as well as the final closing movement thereof. Consequently, it is desirable to equip the cars with door operating devices whereby leverage may be applied to start the opening and finish the closing movements of the door.

The main object of the present invention is to provide an effective and compact door operating device, the principal parts of which may be applied as a unit to the door post.

' Another object is to provide means for enforcing tighter engagement between the cooperating spark strips than has heretofore been possible.

Another object is to provide car locking and sealing elements in connection with door post and the opening and closing device.

These general objects and other detail objects are attained in the structure illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which- Figure 1 is a front view of the device in the locked position.

Figure 2 is a similar view near the limit of movement of the device.

Figure 3 is a top view of the device substantially in the position shown in Figure 2 and showing portions of the car and door in section.

Figure 4 is a side view of the device.

. Figure 5 is a detail horizontal section taken on line 55 ofFigure 7.

Figure 6 is a detail front locking elements.

Figure '7 is a vertical transverse section taken on line 7-7 of Figure 6.

Figure 8 is a view corresponding with Figure 6 and showing a modification.

Figure 9 is a detail section taken on line 9-9 of Figure 8 and with the locking pin removed.

The invention is illustrated as applied to a sliding door 1, including a Z-shaped weather bar 2, and a car side wall 3 including a door post 4 and a front stop 5. A pivot plate 6 is secured to view showing the the car wall adjacent to the door post and has an outwardly projecting portion 7 provided at its outer extremity with a U-section member 8 opening downwardly and towards the door post and within which a manipulating lever 9, offset at 11, is loosely secured by means of rivet 10. Lever 9 is offset to clear door bar 2 and other elements to be described hereafter and has an elongated channel-shaped handle portion substantially paralleling the side of the car. A link 14 is pivoted within a jaw 12, formed on the inside of lever 9, by means of a rivet 13 and has a slot 18 near its outer end for engaging a door element to be described hereafter.

A stud plate 15 is secured to the end of the door adjacent pivot member 6 and has an outwardly extending structure 16, the top of which overlaps bar 2 and is riveted thereto. Stud 17, projecting from the top of structure 16, has an elongated head of suitable size to be inserted through slot 18 in link 14. This head overlaps link 14 when lever 9 is in the locking position (Figure 1) and prevents disengagement of the link from the stud. A lug 21 is provided on the top of structure 16 for engaging link 14 and serves as an additional safeguard to prevent the lifting of the link from stud 17 in case the parts become loose through excessive wear or the door and post are distorted out of alignment. Link 14 has a recess 36 which passes over lug 21 to permit slot 18 to register with the head of stud 17.

A staple plate 19, secured to the car wall 3 directly beneath pivot plate 6, has an outwardly extending portion including ribs 20 and side wall 22 and an end web 23 from which projects a staple element indicated generally at 24. Staple 24 is of suitable size to be inserted through opening 25 in arm 9 and has a vertical perforation 26 for receiving a locking pin 27, the upper part of which has an elongated loop 29 for slidably receiving a hushed rivet 28, and which is provided with a gripping flange 30. Pin 27 is also provided with a transverse opening 31 near its lower end which, in the locked position, is in alignment with openings 32 in the side flanges of lever 9 and serves to receive a seal 33 of ordinary form.

Staple 24 has an outer looped portion 34 for receiving a padlock or other safeguarding means supplementing the seal. The left hand side of loop 34, (Figure 5) is flattened and comprises a sloping surface 35 against which the corresponding edge of lever opening 25 bears during the closing movement, and which effects a wedging action for more tightly drawing door bar 2 against front stop 5. Bearing surface 35 is inclined slightly from the vertical to provide for the slight inclination of lever 9 when it first engages the outer end of loop 34.

In Figures 8 and 9, manipulating lever 37 has an opening 38, corresponding with opening 25 in the form previously described, for receiving staple element 39. Opening 38 has flanges 40 and 41 at the top and bottom, respectively, provided with vertical openings 42 which align with the staple opening for receiving locking pin 43. An arm 44, extending downwardly from flange 41, has a horizontal perforation 45 in alignment with an opening near the lower end of the pin to provide for seal 46. This lever locking arrangement has been found to be more satisfactory than that illustrated in Figures 1 to 7, inelusive.

In closing a door with the aid of my device, the door is first moved by hand as near as posible to the door post. Link 14 is then hooked over rivet 17 and lever 9 is rotated in a clockwise direction until opening 25 is immediately adjacent the staple 24 as in the dotted line positions of Figure 4 or Figure 5. The lever is then forced inwardly towards the side of the car to permit the insertion of the staple through opening 25 and at the same time tightly wedge together the door bar and front stop. The seal is then applied through openings 31 and 32.

To open the door, pin 26 is withdrawn, handle 9 is lifted slightly outwardly on its loose pivotal connection 10 to clear staple 24, and the handle is swung in a counterclockwise direction to the position shown in Figure 2 during which movement link 14 is thrust against stud 17 to open the door. Link 14 may then be readily removed from stud l7 and the further opening of the door effected by hand. The end of link 14 is recessed as at 47 to receive stud 17 and provide for greater forcing movement of the door, if necessary, than is possible with the stud inserted in slot 18.

It will be seen that the invention embodies a compact and sturdy device, the principal parts of which may be applied as a unit to the stationary door post which is ordinarily of more durable construction than the door and which is not subjected to as violent vibration as the door. By the use of the device, and particularly as a result of the wedging effect of the novel staple, the door may be closed more tightly than has heretofore been possible. The device in the locked position is secure since the elongated head of rivet 1'7, and lug 21 prevent the unauthorized removal of link 14 from the stud.

Obviously, the invention is not limited to the exact details of construction shown, but may be modified in various ways without departing from the spirit thereof and I contemplate the exclusive use of all such modifications as come within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a door operating device, a manipulating lever adapted to be secured to the doorpost, a link pivoted on said lever and having a slot near the outer end thereof and a recess in an edge thereof, a stud element and a lug for application to the door, said slot being adapted to receive said stud element in operating the device and said recess being adapted to pass over said lug to permit said slot to register with said stud element, and means for locking said lever against said l doorpost, a part of said link cooperating with said lug when closing force is applied to said lever and when said lever is in the locked position to prevent the removal of said link from said stud element.

2. In combination, a sliding door and a door post, and a door operating device comprising a lever having pivotal connection with said door post, a link loosely pivoted to said lever, a stud element on said door for engagement with said link in effecting initial opening or final closing movement of said door, locking means for securing said lever against the door post in the closed position of said lever, and means for preventing the disengagement of said link from said stud element when said lever is engaged by said looking means, said second mentioned means comprising an enlarged head portion on said stud element and a lug on said door, said link being shaped to pass over said lug to permit the registry of said link and said stud, and said head portion and lug overlapping said link when said lever is in the locked position and doubly obstructing the outward movement thereof relative to said door.

3. In combination, sliding door and door post 100 members, and a door operating device comprising a lever pivoted to one of said members. and swingable in a plane paralleling the plane of the door and also swingable in a plane perpendicular to the plane of the door, said lever having an 19:; opening spaced from its pivotal connection. with said member, means detachably connecting said lever to the other of said members for cooperating with said lever in enforcing closing movement of said door member, and a projection on one of 110 said members having an inclined side surface, said lever opening being disposed to receive said projection when said lever is pressed against the same and having an edge for cooperating with said surface to effect a wedging action for imparting additional closing force to the door.

4. In combination, a sliding door and a door post, and a door operating and locking device comprising a lever having pivotal connection with said door post and swingable in a plane paralleling the plane of said door and also swingable in a plane perpendicular thereto, said lever having an opening spaced from its pivotal connection with said door post, means connecting said lever with said door, and a staple element on said door post, said element including an inclined bearing surface, said lever opening being disposed to re ceive said element when said lever is pressed against said door post and having an edge for cooperating with said bearing surface to impart 130 a wedging effect to said lever for forcing said door tightly against said door post.

5. In combination, a sliding door and a door post, and a door operating and locking device comprising a lever pivoted to said doorpost and swingable in a plane paralleling the plane ofsaid door and also swingable in a plane at an angle thereto, said lever having an opening spaced from its pivotal connection with said door post, a,.1QQk-.' ing pin slidably mounted on said lever adjacent said opening, means detachably connecting said lever to said door for cooperating therewithin enforcing opening and closing movement of said door, and a staple element on said door posthaving a recess for said pin and an inclined bearing surface on oneside, said lever opening being disposed to receive said element when said, lever is pressed against said door post and having an edge for cooperating with said bearing surface to im- 150 part wedging action to said lever for imparting additional closing force to said door.

6. In a door operating device, a manipulating lever adapted to be pivoted on the door post, a link on said lever and having a slot near the free end thereof, and a stud element and a lug for application to the door, said stud element being adapted to be inserted into the slot in said link in operating the device and having an elongated head portion for engaging said link in its door closing position, and said link being adapted to interlock with said lug when said link is in its door closing position for additionally resisting detachment of said link from said stud.

7. In combination, sliding door and door post members, a lever movable in one direction for eiTecting desired relative movement between said members, and cooperating wedge elements on said lever and one of said members for eifecting a portion of said relative movement between said members and operable when said lever is moved in another direction.

8. In combination, sliding door and door post members, a lever pivoted on one of said members, a link connecting said lever and the other of said members whereby said lever may be rotated on its pivot in opposite directions to effect respectively initial opening movement or final closing movement of said door, said lever being mounted to have movement about its pivot in a third direction, and means engageable by said lever when moved in said latter-mentioned direction to effect a portion of at least one of said door movements.

EDWIN G. BUSSE. 

